Container



Jan. 4, 1938. ABER I 2,104,031

T CONTAINER Filed April 10, 1935 t a, H

ull -g g lglllllllll.m

4 VII I INVENTOR. CHfi/SWAN LEE 619 455.?

m M m ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 4, 1 938 VUNI'TED STATE-1S1;

mrmr 4 CONTAINER christian liflo'rabe Lakewood, Ohio Application April-;

\ o'lai'ihs.

1 The present invention relates to containers: or flasks'for medicarliquids or solutions; amrmor'e particularly" to" containers 6'1 fla'l's'lis f'ors'hipp i'n'g and storing sbliitionsus'd in intravenbus therapy. 3 Ari object of the p esent inVeritibnis theprbvision of a novel container or flasli'for medical liquids; espeeially Solutions used in intravenous therapy.

Another object of the present: invention is the provision of a no el' c' ntamer orflask'fo'r medical liquids} especial-1y Solutions j usedin I intravenous therapy; of improved construction; which will be convenient to" handle an use} aiitid which vi ill maintain the liquid or solution contained therein for extended periods zit-'l'id pre' ent any probability or infebtidn or contamination;

'Ihe invezitionflresides m certain novel details of construction" and" arrangements and combinations r artsaafia' furrh r objects and advantages tl'lTf will" be apparent fibfiifhe rono'wm dbscription of the preferred embodiment thereof d's'ribed with rfie'fice to the accompan ing drawir-ia in which Fi'gi an elei ation,-Witli-portions in section; 1 of ai fllsk mbodying' the p eseritmvemion;

-Figf. 2" is a'vifw' ofthe fifask shown in Fig. 1 supported' for'usm 1 Fi; 3 is" plan or the flask shown in new a g 7 Fig? is aln"enlarged s'lition of the mower end or the flask as shown in FigL- 1 taken appro-xi mzately' in the plane of the paper;

Fig; Gls anenIarged eleVation-ofthe lower end of the' flask as shown'in Fig; 1, looking from the rightg-a'nd" V A I Referring toth draWing, the-p=refrred embodiment ofthe invention illustrated comprises a container made of heat-resistant comparatively amen-nee glass; designatedi iri' gener'al by'the referen'ce character-"A: The container A comprises aibody portion In of generauy' cylindrical shape, the 'opposite'ends of which are constricted to form elongated'reduced extensions-or necks H and I2.

The bod y portion I 0 of the flask illustrated; which" is preferably madeoval-shaped or the like t'oprevent th'e' same fromr'olling' Whfilfi laid on a fiat surface, such as a table, has a capacity slightly'greater than'a liter and isgraduatedin cubic centimeters for a purposewhich will be readily' apparent. I

The" upper or filler neck H is preferab1y "used for filling the container, the outside surface 1935, Serial" No. 153660 thereof being provided with screw threads formed in" the glass for the retention of a ensure ecan designated generally b'y' 'the rererehpe character B. Thecap Bcomp-rises ai tubulafor dup s'haiped member l5 closda fi one fid'ahd pifrably' made of metal; Bakelite}: or the1i1e, ada;ptd 'to be screwed onto the threaded ortionior the'iille'r neck H provided. with a; plurality or projections extending radially therefrom either formedin 'tg'rallly thfewitlf or; as" illustrated; the form of anelongated 'm'ember It se'c'iire'dto' the upper closed end=of the cup-shaped member I'5" in some convenient mariner,- such as by spot-welding, etc. in the eve'h't' the cap is made of metal; In" addi tion to-s-erving as a hand grasp for the'rnernber l5; the: member 1 6': rovides a: r'zieahs for suspending': the flask when in usei In the preferred bodim'ent, the flask is adapted tobe suspended from a" hook I'9" or tlie'lik'e through themediurfi of a bail" in the form of a string 2U'securedto opposite ends of the rectangular member It. A washer 21 positioned in the closed end or the opening in the member l5 providesa" seal' for the endof the neck and prevents the contents of the flask fromcoining in contact with the mem ber I5. I

The lower o'r'outletneck I? isprferably ta)- pered to facilitate the attachment of different sized tubing thereto," and the' exterior surface thereof is preferably provided with alternate ridges and furrows which assist in holding the tubing thereon. Asillustr'ate'd', the -lower end of the aperture 23"extendin through the neck I2 is closed by a stopper 25; preferably of rubber, formed integral with the closed." lower end of a. tubular member 26 also preferably'made of rub" her or' rubber substitutes; The tubular member 26 projects up over the exterior surface of the neck" |2 to a point" adjacent thebody portion where it is'preferably folded'back 0h itself for ashort distance. Inaddition to forming a'closure for the lower en'd'of the'container'; the menibers2'5 and 26' prevent contaminationof the neck 12* during: shipment; handling preparatory to use,

etc.

To'facilitate removal of the member 26' andthe stopper 25, a" string 28 or the'lik'e is secured around the lower end of the stopper 25" prior to the" positioning of the member" 26 about the neck. When the member 26 is placed in position; the string 28" extends up along the neck preferably underneath the same; as shown: The string' Zdpreferably folds back on itself as at 29" and passes through the upper edge of the meinte'r 26 as" at 30 to facilitate removal of the same.

The string 28 is again folded on itself as at 3|, and a dust seal 32 in the form of some suitable material, such as paper, etc., placed about theneck l2 overlapping the member 26. The dust seal among other things indicates to the user whether or not the lower end of the flask has been previously opened or tampered with in a manner which might result in contamination of the contents. While the preferred construction has just been referred to, it is to be understood that the string 28 could be projected through the member 26 at the lower end thereof, in which event the string would be extended up along the neck over the'member 26 and se' cured to the upper edge thereof in some conof air during use, in the form of a member se-" cured to the body portion l and the closure B; As-illustrated, one end of the string-20 is extended and secured to the body portion II] by a sticker or tab 35,'but it is to be understood other suitable means may be employed, such as attaching the end of the string to a projection or eye formed integral with the body portion I0. Both ends of the string 20 may be extended and secured to eyes formed on opposite sides of the body portion Ill, if desired. In order to make sure that the washer 2| disengages the upper end of the neck II when the closure B is unscrewed, the same is secured to the member IS in some convenient manner, as by a plurality of projections or depressions formed in the member l5 which engage the washer Without puncturing the same. A dust seal 36 similar to the dust seal 32 previously referred to is placed about the filler neck II and the member l5 to prevent entrance of dirt, etcpunderneath the cap.

The flask is shipped in the condition illustrated in Fig. 1, and when it is desired to use the same, the body portion is grasped with one hand while the other pulls the string 28, re-' moving first the member 26 and subsequently the stopper 25 without disturbing the sterilized con.- dition of the lower or outlet'neck I2 After a hose 381 has been attached to the outlet 12, the

flask is turned to an'upright position and the closure B turned until the string 20 becomes taut. Thereafter the flask is suspended from some suitable support. During use, air is admitted to the upper end of the flask around the neck ll underneath the member 15, which construction assists in preventing contamination of the contents by the incoming air.

A modified construction of the means previously referred to for preventing complete removal of thecap B is illustrated in Fig. 7, wherein the similar parts are designated by the same reference characters with a prime mark aflixed thereto. The container A is the same in con struction as the container A previously described, with the exception of the fact that it is provided with a projection 40 preferably formed integrally therewith. The cap B is similarin' construction to the cap B with the addition of a washer or ring-shaped member 4| secured thereto andthe elimination of the end of the string 20 which is adapted to be secured to thecontainer. The member 4| carries a projection 42 detachably secured thereto adapted to engage the projection 49 and thereby limit the rotation of the cap B to one turn or less. As illustrated, the projection 42 is in the'form of a screw adapted to be threaded into one of a plurality of tapped apertures in the member 4! and sealed therein after the cap B has been secured in position.

From the foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be apparent that a new and improved container or flask for medical solutions, especially solutions used in intravenous therapy, has been provided. The flask of the present invention will preserve the contents indefinitely, and can be conveniently used without presenting any problem of sterilization just before using, and, with reasonable care, without probability of contamination.

' The preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, but it is not my intention to be limited to the particular construction shown which may be varied within the scope of the invention. While the capacity of .the flask shown is approximately one liter, it is "to be understood that the same may be made in any desired capacity. The present application is intended to cover all adaptations, variations, and uses as come within the knowledge and customary practice of those skilled in the art to which it pertains, and I particularly point out and claim as my invention the following:

1. In a flask for medical solutions used in in travenous therapy, the combination of a container comprising a body portion having a reduced extension or neck at one end thereof provided with an aperture extending therethrough and adapted to receive a rubber tube, a closure for said extension or neck comprising an elastic tubular member closed at one end positioned'over said extension, a stopper securedto the interior of the tubular member at'the closed end thereof projecting into the aperture in said extension or neck, and means secured to said stopper and extending along the extension or neck at opposite sides thereof adapted to remove the tubular member and stopper.

2. A flask for medical solutions used in intravenous therapy comprising a transparent body portion, a reduced extension or neck at the upper end of said body portion, a cap-like member positioned over said reduced extension or neck for closing the same, means for limiting the removal of said cap-like member from said reduced extension or neck, a second reduced extension or extension or neck by having the open endthereof at least partially pulled or rolled back over itself.

3. A flask for medical solutions used in intravenous therapy comprising a transparent body portion, a reduced extension or neck at the upper end of said body portion, a cap-like member positioned over said extension or neck and having threaded engagement therewith for closing the same, means for limitingthe rotation of said caplike member in a directionto remove the same from said extension or neck, a second reduced extension orneck at the lower end of said body portion adapted to receive a rubber tube or the like, an elastic tubular member closed at its lower end positioned over said secondextension for closing the same, said elastic tubular member beingadapted to be removed from said second extension or neck by having the open end thereof at least partially pulled back over itself, and means constituting a hand grasp connected to portion having an opening at the upper end, a

said tubular member for removing the same from said second extension or neck. I

4. A closure for an extension or neck of a flask or container adapted to have a delivery tube attached thereto, said closure comprising an elastic tubular-shaped member closed at the lower end adapted to fit over the end of the extension or neck of the container and flexible means adapted to be grasped so that the same can be removed from 'the extension or neck by being at least partially rolled or pulled back on itself without the hands coming in contact with the extension or neck.

5. A flask or container for medical solutions used in intravenous therapy comprising a body closure member for the, upper end, of said body portion, a reduced extension or neck at thelower end of said body portion adapted to have a delivery tube attached thereto, and a closure for said reduced extension or neck comprisingan elastic tubular-shaped member closed at the lower end, and adapted to fit over said extension or neck and flexible means adapted to be grasped so that the same can be removed from the extension or neck by being at least partially rolled or pulled back on itself and without the hands coming in contact with the extension or neck. 

